PAUL WARREN died in the Windfield Nursing Home, Dunboyne, Co Meath on 16 November 2011 aged 89. He had been suffering from Alzheimers Disease for some time.

A right hand batsman and leg spin bowler, Paul, who could also keep wicket, made 128 senior appearances for Merrion between 1940 and 1955 scoring 1400 runs at 16.27 with 4 fifties and taking 59 wickets at 21.49.

Educated at CUS, which provided a number of players for the Club around this time, he made his debut in the League Cup Double winning season of 1940 and was the last survivor of that side, as well as the one which carried off the Senior League title in 1945.

The highest of his four half centuries 76 came against YMCA in the   Cup in 1948. He then made an undefeated 54 against Dublin University in the Semi Final but Merrion lost the Final to Clontarf by 6 wickets.

His best bowling in a senior competitive match was 4/39 against Clontarf in 1940, the Castle Avenue side being bowled out for 83 with Rollie Shortt taking 4/13 with his medium pace.

Paul played Interprovincial cricket for Leinster and was considered by some unlucky not to have received an Irish cap. Like many others he probably missed his chance due to the interference in the international fixture list by a certain A. Hitler, whose alleged involvement in cricket in his youth is almost certainly a fiction.

Paul, who was a civil servant by profession finishing in a senior post in the Department of Finance, was also a good rugby player being a member of the Lansdowne side which won the Leinster Senior Cup in 1948/49. However Paul did not receive a medal as he was playing for Merrion on the day of the Final!

He allegedly retired cricket after dropping a slip catch. His captain Simon Curley told him that swimming was making him stiff and he should give it up. Paul chose to give up cricket instead!

                                                                                                      Edward Liddle  January 2012